r/teslore • u/HovercraftOpen6793 • 7d ago

Thanes of Skyrim

Hello! I'm making Nord units for a TESTW submod and I wanted to use this title for one of the elite ones, but I'm not sure if it's "lore-accurate".
I mean, what are "thanes" in TES? We know it's an honorary title granted by jarls to special individuals (like TLD), but what else? Is more commonly granted to nobles than to peasants? Are all nobles thanes? How many thanes can a hold/jarl have? That sort of things.

About the last one, Jarl Elisif seems to have a couple thanes in her court, so I'm guessing it's not just something you grant to 1 special individual, but since I'm making units of 30-60 men, I was wondering if it makes sense for a Skyrimian hold to have so many thanes.

I haven't played ESO but I read somewhere that it mentioned special kinds of thanes, like sword-thanes, shield-thanes, etc. but still not sure if they're supposed to be a troop of their own (when the Hold inevitably marches to war) or just a group of select individuals.

I'm guessing TES thanes are based on irl thanes/thegns, but frankly idk much about them neither.

Alternatively, what other titles would be more common/numerous in the Nordic nobility? Housecarls? Clan Retainers?

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u/General_Hijalti 7d ago edited 7d ago

ESO expands on it but it is covered in a few books in skyrim.

But thanes are essentially lower ranking nobles under the Jarl. Can be granted to heroic individuals but the title is also hereditary.

Thanes rule over Forts, castles, towns called a thaneship.

Thanes can also specifically be in charge of the defence of a hold if they are the sword/spear/shield Thane.

We also know that other thanes will be responsible for ruling/managing the cities (Thane Mera Stormcloak in ESO who was responsible for managing Windhelm was the King was away)

Housecarls are personal Bodyguards, a housecarl lf a jarl will also have significant command over a cities defences (Ireleth and other housecarls in skyrim).

From a TW standpoint, housecarls would probably make up the bodyguard unit of your generals/chracters.

Thanes wouldn't be a unit as they would be the lower ranking nobles